both as a member of this committee and ranking member of the house, science, space, and technology committee as well as a confer rei on -- conferee on the faa committee, i realize making the skies safer, less congested, and cleaner requires substantial investments. we must invest in the future, but we have to invest wisely. i'm concerned with the department of transportation, inspector general's april 2012 # report that the en route implementation schedule slipped by four years, and over budgeted by $330 million. in addition, i understand that although progress is being made, the agency has had difficulties in developing performance metrics for next generation goals. i want to thank you chairman petri and ranking member costillo, for holding the hearing, and i look forward to the testimony of the witnesses today because i believe we have to implement the next generation technology. thank you, and i yield back. >> thank you, and now we turn to the first panel, and i'd like to welcome the honorable john portcari, the u.s. secretary of the department of transportation, the acting administrator